Illinois Dems Join Lawsuit Targeting Donald Trump’s Foreign Interests

Illinois’ U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin have joined a lawsuit that alleges President Donald J. Trump is breaking the emoluments clause of the Constitution by accepting gifts from foreign interests without Congressional approval.

In a press release, Duckworth said there has never been a question as to whether President Trump is using his position as the 45th President of the United States to reap huge economic gains.

“He could have divested from his businesses, and relinquished ownership,” Duckworth said. “He could have handed the Trump enterprise over to be run by someone outside of his own family, but he didn’t and that should concern every single American.”

The lawsuit has been joined by nearly 200 Democratic lawmakers. They claim President Trump should be forced to release his tax returns so Congress can gain a full understanding of any foreign payments the Trump Organization has received.

“From his singular refusal to disclose his income tax returns to his failure to divest his global web of business holdings to the persistent conflicts of interest which haunt his appointments, President Trump has defied well-established standards of disclosure and propriety,” said Durbin.

“The Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which prohibits a President from accepting gifts, benefits, or payments from foreign states without first obtaining the consent of Congress, is a clear standard of integrity which cannot be ignored or dismissed with a tweet,” Durbin added.

Trump continues to deny that he is benefitting from foreign partnerships at his businesses while serving as the POTUS.